1. Field
The embodiments discussed herein are directed to a communication apparatus, a maintenance system, a maintenance method and a computer program that can perform a maintenance operation for a device by supplying maintenance data.
2. Description of the Related Art
If a fault such as a failure or malfunction in a device in a computer system, directly coupled with a business activity causes a system to have problems, rapid recovery of the computer system is required.
Therefore, various maintenance systems that can shorten a time required for maintenance operation have been proposed.
For example, conventionally a maintenance system remotely operating a device to be maintained via a portable telephone from a maintenance apparatus by connecting the portable telephone to each of the maintenance apparatus and the device to be maintained has been discussed.
Thereby, the maintenance person can gain access to the device to be maintained from the maintenance apparatus at a remote site without going to the installed site of the device, and can promptly handle a request.
However, since outside access can be often refused or restricted for security reasons, it is difficult to perform a maintenance operation by remote operation in a maintenance system assuming the configuration is capable of making access from the outside.
Also, when a fault occurs requiring replacement of a board or units, for example, with maintenance that can not be performed from the remote site, it is required that a maintenance person go to the actual site.
In addition, when it is discovered that there is a need for incorporating a program into a replaced board or making e settings, there is a possibility that a maintenance person has not prepared the necessary data.
In such a case, the maintenance person needs to make another trip to the site n or contact another maintenance person, resulting in a problem that the maintenance operation is less efficient.
Also, when an operation of incorporating the program or making the version-up of the program is performed, for example, a human error may occur in which the unfamiliar maintenance person incorporate a different program by mistake to cause a malfunction.